I have a couple of questions based on what you have posted.
1. If rack and pinion are not allowed, why are you considering a Dakota chassis?
2. If you "re-bodied" a Dakota chassis, what steering would you put on it instead of the rack and pinion?
3. Since I've built both e bodys and a bodys with torsion bars, and had good success with both.... I still would prefer the coil spring front suspension of the Dakota. Many wins to back that up.
sorry for all the questions, but I had to ask.
Lon